Almost three years of existence and the volunteers of the Val des Rougières and Maurels tenant defense committee are still driven by the same energy and determination to improve daily life with and for the residents.
This is evidenced by the last general assembly, which was held on Saturday, in the premises of the Isa socio-cultural center. Meeting, during which the president, Linda Draoui, and her team were able to present to members the activity of the past year (outings, events, etc.) but especially the actions to come.
The association, under the 2024-2030 metropolitan city contract, will register at the start of the school year in “joint work with state and city policy services”. “This project essentially concerns improving the quality of the living environment. said secretary Geneviève Burki.
Identify weak and strong points
The goal? “It offers a collection of dysfunctions in the neighborhood of all kinds, housing, the environment, and the needs of residents. We are going to set up working groups with different stakeholders, including residents, the social landlord, and the various partners that are the City, the prefecture, and associations. We are going to highlight the weak points, areas for improvement and also the strong points, because there are some too. We will have to develop proposals for improvement. explained Geneviève Burki. “We are going to make a diagnosis with, by and for the residents of the neighborhood.”adds Linda Draoui.
Groups made up of four to six people, observation grid in hand, will travel and survey the neighborhood.
Don’t neglect anyone
There is no doubt that the desired improvements will include the city stadium in very poor condition, the very degraded children’s play areas and the lack of lighting, particularly in building entrances.
“The idea is always to improve the quality of service,” add Sébastien Fratellia-Giol, deputy mayor, in charge of city policy, who recalled the measures, which he judges “effective” such as France Services which forms a bridge with Pyanet and La Blocarde, the strong impact of “the educational city which is at the center of the action in a district which needs it.”
“Whether we live in Val des Rougières or Porquerolles, everyone has the right to the same quality of municipal action. City policy, social cohesion, is everyone’s business”, concluded the elected official.
The association intervenes on questions concerning in particular “the problem of housing and the environment, family security, changes”…
On Saturday, they were again at the center of some poignant testimonies in the assembly. Indeed, for years and while they were considering changing apartments because they were unsuitable for health reasons, tenants have been deploring “being faced with a wall with the social landlord.”
This incomprehension is all the more difficult for residents to understand because there are uninhabited homes within the social housing stock. The secretary of the association Geneviève Burki believes “that 180 housing units out of 877 are vacant and unallocated because they are not in good condition. We must ask Var Habitat to rehabilitate them.” Residents who also regretted the absence of Var Habitat at this meeting in which the municipality participated through the deputy mayor Sébastien Fratellia-Guiol. Two years after her request, the president, Linda Draoui “still hopes to obtain independent premises to receive people and be able to work properly with Var-Habitat, which is our priority.” Which could be available at the start of the September school year in the Excelsior Tower.
